Humblebola

Hey Karl!

The season is still pretty young but it has been exciting as all hell.

First off, it seems like the field for Men’s basketball has been level for the first time in a while. No team is undefeated, and though the UE Red Warriors are still winless, they showed some flashes of potential when they faced the UST Growling Tigers.

Have you also heard what happened to women’s football? FEU and UP accumulated a total of SIX red cards during their match. The Fighting Maroons’ starting AND backup keeper were both booked, forcing them to have a makeshift keeper between the sticks vs Ateneo.

But I guess I am writing to you guys because I have to tell you something.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL IS AWESOME.

I have been out of the loop when it comes to women’s basketball in general for a long time. When I started watching, it was players like Lisa Leslie, Lauren Jackson, Sue Bird, and Diana Taurasi plying their trade in the WNBA. In the UAAP, it was a clash of two former MVPs in Cassy Tioseco of Ateneo vs Ewon Arayi of Adamson.

After that, I have heard of few players who have really made their mark in the game. I started following a bit more when our good friend Ged Austria became assistant coach for the UST Growling Tigresses.

Then one decision changed my life forever.

Last season, we just decided on a whim to cover the game between the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the UST Growling Tigresses. After all, Ateneo is our alma mater and Ged was coaching.

This was the game that made us decide to cover the women’s tournament more extensively.

Because of this, our photography skills sharpened, we met some great people, and our appreciation for the game became deeper. I am not here to compare and contrast the men’s and women’s games but let me say, both offer different kinds of excitement as a basketball fan.

It was also because of that one fateful day that I decided that I wanted to serve the Ateneo Blue Eagles as their in-house physician (I still have to get used to be called their team doctor). Luckily, Coaches PJ Navarro and Zoe Chu took me in and the girls welcomed me as part of the team.

The season is still quite young so I know I will be able to experience more as part of the staff, and I will tell you more about it after the season ends. But because of this, I have seen the ins and outs of how a collegiate team prepares for every game. I have seen how hard these athletes work on the court, and still balance their academics with it. It gave me a new appreciation for the UAAP and the game that we love.

We face the NU Lady Bulldogs next and even though I will be out of the country for that game, I am damn sure supporting them. (Editor’s note: NU Lady Bulldogs won 87-77)

Your boy,
Dr. Eriko